The main development direction of energy efficiency technologies in construction is the creation of various materials with complex structures and unique strength, thermal properties, and other properties. The aerogel is a material with high porosity and excellent thermal insulation properties. This paper provides state-of-the-art aerogel applications for the additive manufacturing of energy-efficient buildings. This work provides the experimental and numerical assessment results of the thermal conductivity of aerogel-enhanced blanket, the experimental assessment results of thermal performance of aerogel-enhanced building structure, the experimental assessment results of the aerogel application as a mixture powder component of the concrete mixture to printing buildings, and the experimental assessment results of the aerogel application as a parget powder component. Experimental results show the effect of aerogel powder component application: thermal conductivity decreased by 25%.

The thermal performance of the building envelope is significant in energy-efficient construction. Because concrete is widely used in civil engineering, options to reduce its R-value should be considered. This study explores the thermal and structural properties of aerogel-enhanced concrete. Silica aerogel powder was mixed with fine-grained concrete at 15 vol.%. Two series of samples were prepared to identify the preferred technology. The first series of samples were mixed without isopropyl alcohol; for the second series, the alcohol was mixed with silica aerogel before mixing into the dry mix. The thermal conductivity, compressive strength, and bending resistance of the specimens were measured. The presence of silica aerogel admix resulted in a decrease in the compressive strength of the specimens by 30% compared with that of the reference samples and a reduction in the bending strength of the samples by 9% compared with that of the reference samples. For the first and second series of samples, the K-values of the aerogel-enhanced specimens varied in the range from 0.83 W/(m·K) to 1.13 W/(m·K), respectively. To further decrease the thermal conductivity, gypsum putty was then added to the specimens, resulting in the K-values further decreasing to 0.64 W/(m·K) and 0.84 W/(m·K), respectively. The calculation of heat losses through 1 m² of the aerogel-enhanced concrete wall was performed. It has been shown that energy expenses for heating can be lowered by 30%. The calculation of the greenhouse gas emissions from the combustion of fuel required for heating was also considered. The emissions decreased by 30.2% compared with the reference sample. Microscopic examination of the face and section surfaces of the sample revealed a significant number of pores compared with conventional fine-grain concrete.

Thermal insulation materials used in power and industrial systems must maintain high performance under extreme environmental conditions. Among such materials, aerogel and basalt fiber are widely applied due to their low thermal conductivity and ease of installation. However, over time, these materials are susceptible to degradation, which can significantly impair their insulating efficiency and increase energy losses. Despite their importance, the long-term behavior of these materials under realistic climatic stressors has not been analyzed enough. This study investigates the degradation of thermal insulation performance in aerogel and basalt fiber materials subjected to complex atmospheric stressors, simulating long-term outdoor exposure. Aerogel and basalt fiber mats were tested under accelerated aging conditions using an artificial weather chamber equipped with xenon lamps to replicate full-spectrum solar radiation, high humidity, and elevated temperatures. The results show that the thermal conductivity of aerogel remained stable, indicating excellent durability under environmental stress. In contrast, basalt fiber insulation exhibited a deterioration in thermal performance, with a 9–11% increase in thermal conductivity, corresponding to reduced thermal resistance. Computational modeling using COMSOL Multiphysics confirmed that aerogel insulation outperforms basalt fiber, especially at temperatures exceeding 200 °C, offering better heat retention with thinner layers. These findings suggest aerogel-based materials are more suitable for long-term thermal insulation of high-temperature pipelines and industrial equipment.

The main development direction of energy efficiency technologies in construction is the creation of various materials with a complex structure and unique strength, thermal and other properties. The aerogel is a material with high porosity and excellent thermal insulation properties. This paper provides the state-of-the-art of aerogel applications for the additive manufacturing of energy efficient buildings. This work provides the experimental and numerical assessment results of thermal conductivity of aerogel-enhanced blanket, the experimental assessment results of thermal performance of aerogel-enhanced building structure, the experimental assessment results of the aerogel application as mixture powder component of the concrete mixture to printing building and the experimental assessment results of the aerogel application as parget powder component. Experimental results show the effect of aerogel powder component application: thermal conductivity decreased by 25%.